Ask Wolves Among Sheep

[Shale Vizsla]

Shale had to admire Stennar’s ability to bounce back from a life threatening situation so quickly. Less than hours ago, he had come face to face with a Sith and now he was doing the conga with his hands on some 20 something. The Mandalorian turned to regard Max, “You met Warmaster, no? Can work your charm,” She smiled under the helmet. His jacket was off, the button down perfectly tailored to his muscled torso. Her gaze lingered longer than needed, but thankfully he couldn’t tell either way.

As he described his home planet, she took the proffered whisky. His home sounded similar to her own, and she was surprised by the overlaps. Shale sipped from the whisky, feeling the effects of the alcohol beginning to hit her. When he mentioned baby beskar’gam, she couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. That was the second time this evening. He was getting good at this.

“You know proper name for armor,” She remarked, genuinely impressed. Very few aruetii called it beskar’gam, “I was born into Vizsla clan,” Shale explained, perhaps more open to sharing since she was a few drinks in, “Did verd’goten and then made my beskar’gam like tradition. My clan.. Does not always keep helmet on anymore. For me just old habit,” She said with a vague shrug, her gaze back on the dancers. A lot of it had been insecurities from going through transition, but a lot of those fears had been unfounded. Outside of some hurtful comments when she was a child, no one fussed about her identity as a woman.

“Sometime I think their lives so easy,” She mused aloud as she gazed at the people laughing and dancing, “Maybe happier,” Shale took another swig of whisky. She was probably not making any sense, but she wasn’t worried about it now. She had just squared off against two Sith, she had earned unwinding a bit.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

"Yeah I met him" Max replied "though I'm not sure he found me charming".

He had a feeling the Tiefling would cut him no slack whatsoever, every rung back up the ladder would have to be earned. Still, Shale was right. He had shown he could go out and bat for Din's new Empire and he had now helped take down Sith themselves. Their work tonight would have wider ramifications too; Stennar would be regularly reminded of his debt to them and Ord Radama would likely join Imperial territory. There were fewer and fewer border worlds for the Sith to skulk on.

Max was pleased his bit of reading had impressed her. He had been hungry for knowledge of other worlds when he joined up, especially those with martial talents. He had learnt early on that beskar was the famous metal and thought beskar'gam was the armor. Thankfully he had it right.

"They don't?" it was news to him that any Mandos took their helmet off, but he was secretly glad. It meant he might actually get to see Shale's face, though the fact her features were completely unknown to him was strangely intriguing. It was the guests she was still finding intriguing though, sounding wistful as she imagined their lives. "Don't be fooled" Max said quietly, inching closer "most of them are going back to loveless homes, cold beds and dead end jobs in the morning. Easy maybe, but not living".

He took another swig, knowing what she meant. When your life was the fight, the struggle that went on above most people's heads, it did take a toll. But Max had never wanted out of that, not really. He studied her, wondering if that was harder to hold to when you were born into the way of battle, rather than choosing it. There was a lot of identity wrapped up in that helmet.

"Do you ever take it off on the job?". There were a lot of people around and it was probably not the best place, but he had to ask.

@Sreeya

 

[Shale Vizsla]

Shale had only heard about the Warmaster and seen him on Holo. Tieflings were negatively portrayed as demons across all types of lore and it wasn’t any different for Mandalorians. She found them suspicious, which made it all the more impressive he got where he did with the galaxy prejudiced against him. She had her own hurdles to combat with all the stereotypes about Mandalorians.

Which led right to the common misconception that every Mando always wore a helmet. It was curious- there were many of them out there presenting as regular civilians, but with a full set of beskar’gam stashed at home collecting dust. Mandos struggled to find their foothold in the galaxy and most of them found it easier to accept civilian life.

“Well that depressing,” She remarked to his bleak picture of the lives of the people in front of her. While he may have been right, she was sure many of them lived content lives and had reassurance that someone else was protecting them.

She looked at Max when he asked his question, taking a moment to realize he meant her helmet. Shale smiled beneath it, “Want see if I look like troll?” She teased with a quiet laugh, “I usually get job where they want scary Mando, so armor always on,” Shale said. Tonight was an example - she was to be the obvious guard and he got to play the role of a pretty guest.

One of the younger drunk women broke away from the conga line and clutched Max by the bicep, “Oh don’t stand here looking so glum. Come join the party! The Mando’s got us covered,” She said with a giggle, trying to drag him out to dance.

Shale’s demeanor stiffened back to serious guard in the presence of a guest, but she did tip her glass at the two to tell them to go enjoy themselves.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

Max realised too late that he had perhaps been a bit overly cynical. He did not want to depress his comrade too much. "Well maybe not all of them" he conceded, noting there were one or two guests who looked to be genuinely living it up. "But you're a Mandalorian, you've already done more with your life than most of them Shale".

The idea of her looking like a troll made him almost choke on his own laugh. "I think the troll bit is highly unlikely" he replied. In truth, he had no idea what she looked like - she could look like any woman he had met or none. "But you do scary Mando very well. Stennar seemed to think I was less intimidating by comparison and I nearly fed him to a Sith".

The excitable woman who grabbed his arm, but she intruded more than she realised. "I'm working too I'm afraid" he smiled at her, not addressing the whisky in his hand. "Besides we're having a fine party just here thanks, aren't we?". He looked at Shale, hazel eyes flashing.

There was a slight commotion over the far side of the hall as several uniformed troopers filed in, standing awkwardly among the glitz and glamour. Their relief was here.

"Shall we drink up and get you some help?" Max suggested "stay here any longer and either I or they -" he pointed at the guests "will have you swapping that helmet for some dancing shoes".

@Sreeya